Chapter 195 - 224: Subduing the Dragon with a Palm, Blood Demon Gu
"Senior! Wait for me!"
Su Bai had just stepped out of the inn and hadn’t taken more than a few steps when the shout of the young swordsman, Mu Yu, came from behind him.
"Senior, are you heading to Fulong Mountain?"
After catching up to Su Bai, Mu Yu quickly asked.
"That’s right. I have some free time, so I thought I’d go take a look."
"Senior, you’ve just arrived in Ling County, so you might not know that the path to Fulong Mountain is quite complex and difficult to navigate."
"How about I act as your guide?"
Mu Yu suggested with a smile, offering his services.
His expression showed a hint of eagerness.
"Alright."
Su Bai glanced at him and nodded with a smile.
"Senior, please follow me!"
A look of delight crossed Mu Yu’s face as he quickly led Su Bai toward the southern part of the city.
Along the way, Su Bai heard the clear voice of a storyteller drifting out from a nearby inn.
So, he spoke up and suggested, "You mentioned you’ve collected quite a few strange tales and legends."
"Care to share one?"
Hearing this, Mu Yu’s interest was immediately piqued.
"What a coincidence! I have plenty of stories like that!"
"The road ahead is long. If you’d like to hear one, Senior, I’d be happy to share."
"Let me start with the tale of the Earth-Digging Snake Demon!"
"This story starts several years ago. The Snake Demon was originally a woman with the surname Mo. She lived in Yuhe Village, northwest of Ling County City. To be honest, she was a pitiful soul who lost her husband at a young age..."
Mu Yu’s voice wasn’t loud as he recounted the tale in detail.
When he got to the exciting parts, even the children playing nearby cast curious glances his way.
Time passed slowly amidst their conversation and laughter...
After an unknown amount of time, the two finally arrived at Fulong Mountain.
Fulong Mountain was located south of Ling County. Its range stretched for a hundred li, often shrouded in clouds and mist. The forests were lush, birds chirped in harmony, and the rosy glow of the sky reflected upon the waters.
"Senior! We’ve arrived. This is Fulong Mountain!"
Mu Yu stuck out his slightly dry tongue and let out a long sigh of relief.
Su Bai, however, was gazing in a certain direction, his eyes moving slightly.
He seemed to see through the secrets of this place, his gaze piercing through layers of blockades, finally landing on a middle-aged man in a black robe.
Then, he stepped forward, a smile on his lips as he murmured softly.
’Interesting. To think I’d run into an experience monster even here.’
...
At this moment, within a dark-colored pavilion atop the peak of Fulong Daoist Temple.
A middle-aged man in a black robe with disheveled hair sat there. His aura was heavy, his gaze sullen.
He stared coldly at the young man in the Daoist robe before him, then spoke in a deep voice, "Temple Master, I did not come here to negotiate with you."
"This matter is a task personally assigned by that esteemed personage. Do you truly intend to be uncooperative?"
As he spoke, Evil Qi flared at the corners of his eyes, revealing a hint of danger. He said in a rumbling voice,
"I advise the Temple Master to think thrice!"
The young man in the Daoist robe sitting across from him, however, simply sipped his tea, his expression unchanged as he said, "Demon Monarch!"
"Ever since its founding by the Ancestor, my Fulong Daoist Temple has remained secluded from the world, never meddling in worldly affairs."
"Who sits on the throne under heaven, who wants to sit on it..."
"...has no bearing on my Fulong Temple whatsoever."
"I must ask you, Demon Monarch, to return and report as such."
The middle-aged man in the black robe’s expression changed instantly upon hearing this.
A savage glint appeared in his eyes!
His voice dropped. "It seems the Temple Master has yet to grasp the situation!"
"And what do you mean by that?"
The right hand of the Daoist-robed youth, which was holding a Jade Cup, paused slightly.
His brow furrowed.
"Heh!"
"Tomorrow morning, Master Taiyu, who serves that esteemed personage, will arrive in Ling County."
The man in the black robe didn’t say much more, just gave a soft chuckle as he delivered the news.
Master Taiyu!
Hearing that name.
The Daoist-robed youth’s pupils contracted sharply!
Even the tea in his cup couldn’t help but tremble slightly.
The sunlight spilled into it, creating faint ripples.
「A moment later.」
The Daoist-robed youth set down his Jade Cup and sighed, shaking his head.
The worry in his eyes was plain to see.
"I never thought you would be so ruthless!"
"This matter concerns the joint plan between that esteemed personage and the three leaders of the Celestial Blood Thieves. We subordinates naturally dare not be careless."
"So, what is the Temple Master’s decision now?"
the man in the black robe asked coolly.
He seemed to believe victory was already in his grasp.
However, before the Daoist-robed youth before him could answer,
the two heard a series of rapid, yet extremely rhythmic, footsteps coming from the mountain steps below.
The sound of the footsteps was like the sudden rise of a Daoist hymn.
It emitted a profound energy, plucking at the very strings of the world’s music.
"Someone broke through the Mist Concealment Array?"
Hearing the commotion, the Daoist-robed youth’s expression changed slightly.
He couldn’t help but stand up and look down the mountain.
The man in the black robe beside him also frowned, then walked to the front of the Daoist-robed youth.
He leaned over to look down.
In their line of sight...
a young man in a white robe, hands empty, walked up, bathed in the brilliant sunlight.
Behind him followed a young man cradling a sword, his expression respectful and humble.
It also held a trace of fanaticism and reverence!
His head was slightly bowed, like that of a mere page boy.
’This person is no simple character!’
The instant they saw Su Bai, both the man in the black robe and the youth in the Daoist robe felt their Heart Spirits tremble!
For some reason, despite their own high Cultivation, they felt an inexplicable sense of awe before this person, as if gazing up at a towering mountain that could not be comprehended.
And when this person’s gaze turned toward them,
the man in the black robe suddenly shuddered, his pupils shrinking!
’He’s going to kill me!!’
The thought echoed violently in his mind.
Like crumbling mountains and a churning tsunami!
It made his Heart Spirit quaver!
ROAR!
The next moment, he unhesitatingly shed his human form, transforming into a savage, terrifying, ink-black Flood Dragon. It ripped the roof off the small pavilion, its body surging with powerful energy as it prepared to soar into the sky!
The Daoist-robed youth beside him was still stunned, wondering what madness had possessed the Fushui Demon Monarch, who had just been freed.
But in the next instant, he understood.
RUMBLE—
He saw the clouds that had gathered on the once-serene horizon suddenly disperse!
A golden palm descended from the heavens, its five fingers transforming into towering mountain peaks that moved toward the ink-black Flood Dragon,
slowly closing its grasp!
The ink-black Flood Dragon, despite using every trick it had, could not escape the cover of the Five Finger Mountain. It only succeeded in battering itself until it was bruised and bleeding.
A truly miserable sight!
"Damn it! Who are you?"
"How dare you lay a hand on me!?"
"Master Taiyu is backing me!"
"I hope Your Excellency will not bring ruin upon yourself!"
"AHH!!"
"Sen... Senior! Spare me!"
In the eyes of the Daoist-robed youth, the Fushui Demon Monarch who had just been spouting threats...
...now let out a particularly wretched scream!
...before being snatched into the clouds by the golden palm.
His whereabouts became unknown.
For a moment, a rain of blood poured down!
And after the golden palm disappeared,
the Daoist-robed youth was still stuck in a daze, his expression bewildered.
It had all happened so fast!
From start to finish, it had only taken three breaths of time.
Who could have imagined that the Fushui Demon Monarch, so arrogant moments ago, would be captured so casually, as if he had provoked the Immortal Gods in the heavens.
His fate, unknown!
But the Daoist-robed youth, as the Temple Master of Fulong Temple, was a Dragon Mansion Realm Great Power after all.
He naturally knew in his heart that the one who had just acted must have been the white-robed youth who was ascending the mountain.
"Fellow Daoist!"
When Su Bai drew near, the Daoist-robed youth immediately stepped forward with a warm smile, initiating a conversation.
Completely devoid of his usual indifference.
Meanwhile, Su Bai, walking up the last few steps, also had a pleased look on his face.
After imprisoning the Fushui Demon Monarch in the Dharma Tripod Prison,
the information about the Fushui Demon Monarch was displayed clearly on the Purification Tripod.
[Criminal: Fushui Demon Monarch]
[Sin Level: Eight-Star]
[Strength: Ninth Level of the Dao Palace Realm]
[Status: Near Death (Imprisoned)]
[Reward: 360,000 Experience Points/hour]
’The reward is pretty good!’
Snapping back to reality, Su Bai struck up a conversation with the Daoist-robed youth before him, a smile on his face.
He didn’t know, however,
that Mu Yu, who was following behind him, was now completely frozen in place.
When he saw Su Bai casually break the Grand Array, he had already guessed that Su Bai must be a Daoist Palace Realm Great Power!
But just now, he hadn’t even seen how Su Bai attacked, yet the other had easily obliterated the Fushui Demon Monarch who had broken his seal and was stirring up trouble!
Such power was completely beyond his imagination.
’Just how strong is this Senior?’
Unknowable, unthinkable.
Inconceivable!
...
Ten thousand li away from Ling County, atop a green mountain peak wreathed in rosy clouds,
a silver-white Daoist Temple stood majestically.
An old man in a green robe was sitting cross-legged on a cushion, meditating with his eyes closed.
Suddenly, a Golden Armor Attendant walked up respectfully, bowed, and reported.
"Reporting to the True Master, the Black Mountain Ancestor just sent word that the Blood Demon Gu is ready!"
Hearing this, the green-robed elder slowly opened his eyes.
He gave a slight nod to show he understood.
"True Master, there is one more thing..."
But the Golden Armor Attendant did not leave immediately after finishing his report.
Instead, he stood in place, his expression hesitant.
"Speak freely."
The green-robed elder glanced at him.
"Yes!"
The Golden Armor Attendant said in a low voice, "Reporting to the True Master!"
"Word just came from the inner hall—the Fushui Demon Monarch’s Soul Lamp... has shattered!"
"What?"
Master Taiyu’s expression darkened!